Controlled use chess game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A coin-operated chess game in which turnstiles are provided at a series of groove extensions beyond the playing field whereby taken pieces are stored to the side of the playing field and are not returnable except upon payment of a coin, and actuation of a plunger to permit turnstile operation, to return the taken game pieces to the board.

United States Patent Tintorri Sept. 17, 1974 [541 CONTROLLED USE CHESS GAME 1,700,016 1 1929 Belanger 273/136 E x APPARATUS 2,196,861 4/1940 Gruber 273/137 F 2,596,259 5/1952 Lewis 273/136 A [76] Inv ntor: T r A- Tintorri, 2312 3,018,107 1/1962 Erickson 273/136 A Verdugo Ave., Burbank, Calif. 3,130,972 4/1964 Schwarzlander.. 273/137 AD X 91506 3,751,039 8/1973 Dykoski 273/137 AB X [22] Filed: Aug. 3, 1973 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATlONS 21 APP] 3 5 54 1,948,311 9/1970 Germany 273/136 E Primary Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro [52] US. Cl 273/136 F, 194/50, 273/131 B,

273/132 273/l36 E, 273/136 273/l37 F Attorney, Agent, or Fzrm Lou1s J. Bachand, Jr. [51] Int. Cl. A631 3/02 [581 Field of Search 273/136 R, 136 A, 136 B, ABSTRACT 273/136 136 136 136 136 137 A coin-operated chess game in which turnstiles are 137 137 137 137 AD, 137 provided at a series of groove extensions beyond the 137 W, 131 131 131 131 playing field whereby taken pieces are stored to the 131 131 132; 194/501 DIG-11 side of the playing field and are not returnable except upon payment of a coin, and actuation of a plunger to [56] References Clted permit turnstile operation, to return the taken game UNITED STATES PATENTS pieces to the board.

163,601 5/1875 Morgan 273/136 E 1,085,941 2 1914 Russell 273/136 E 12 7 Drawmg F'gures PATENTED $5 I 74974 SHEET 2 OF 4 CONTROLLED USE CHESS GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention has to do with game apparatus, and more particularly with game apparatus highly adapted to chess or checkers and like games in which a plurality of pieces are moved to various positions on a playing board, usually comprising a series of alternately colored squares generally arranged in a rectangular pattern.

The explosion of interest in chess as a result of highly publicized international matches and the increased availability of leisure time which may be pleasantly spent in a public facility such as a restaurant or bar suggests the need for a game apparatus which can be placed in such public facilities for the use of patrons and in a manner which will return to the facility proprietor an income and a profit. It has been known in the past to provide in such places of public accommodation pool tables which are coin-controlled so as to limit play unless there is payment of further amounts of money. Thus, a rack of balls is delivered upon the payment of, for example, a quarter. In the course of play the balls are automatically returned to the device and thus play is self-limiting.

At first consideration, it might appear that games such as chess and checkers are not susceptible of the same manner of use control. It is evident, of course, that during the course of play in either chess or checkers one or more game pieces are removed from the playing field and set aside. In an ordinary commercial establishment, this approach is unsatisfactory because loss of pilferage of game pieces would be excessive. And moreover, there is no means in an ordinary chess or checkers board of limiting return of the taken pieces to the board for further play. In this manner, the players can continue indefinitely.

PRIOR ART The prior art has considered the problem of maintaining chess pieces on a board against upset or loss but apparently has not frequently addressed the problem of limiting play on a chess board so as to return an income to a facility proprietor. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,006 to Kovacs and USP 2,454,639 to Edwards. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,085,941 to Russell a checkerboard is provided with means to loosely capture the games pieces on the board. Provision is made for removal of the pieces from the board and storage of pieces along side the board, but no provision is made for controlling return of the pieces to the board by a coin-operated mechanism or any other means. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,700,016 to Belanger a similar checkerboard device is disclosed wherein a diamond grid of grooves is provided enabling storage of captive game pieces adjacent the playing field but as in the Russell patent no provision is made for limiting return of these game pieces so as to limit the time of play. U.S. Pat. No. 3,130,972 to Schwarzlander is an analogous board for another type of game. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,472,916 to Moon an electromagnetic checkerboard is disclosed which is prohibitively expensive for a casual game, and likely too delicate for public use. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,018,107 is coin controlled but electrical in nature and has no provision for guarda single use, per coin insertion. The foregoing enumerated patents are all those considered in the preparation of the above-identified application, save U.S. Pat. No. 2,086,327 to Hameetman which is a checkerboard game analagous to a pinball machine and not relevant to the concept presented herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly an objective of the present invention to provide a board suitable for controlled use play of a game such as chess or checkers. In making provision for such an apparatus the removal of game pieces from the playing field has been adapted to automatically limit the players to one game. Broadly, this is accomplished by providing turnstiles at the edge of the playing field and beyond the turnstiles storage lanes for taken pieces. The turnstiles are actuable only opon insertion of a coin and operation of a plunger for further play.

In general, the foregoing objective and other objects of the invention are realized through a controlled use game apparatus comprising a board for chess and checkers or the like having a playing field of alternating colored squares and intercommunicating grooves therebetween, game pieces loosely captured in the grooves for movement between play positions, at least one of these grooves having a terminal extent beyond the field perimeter defining a storage lane for storage of pieces taken in play, gate means normally blocking taken piece return from the groove extent and gate control means acting on the gate means in unblocking relation to control board use. The gate means may comprise a ratchet and pawl assembly. The gate control means may include a hand operated plunger drivingly connected to the ratchet and pawl assembly. In general the playing squares are peripherally defined by the grooves, and may include a slot extending inwardly from one of the grooves for locating a game piece within the playing square. In embodiments where the game pieces are chessmen the pawns thereof may be slotted at their upper terminus. In particular embodiments the squares may be pedestal mounted and arrayed to define the grooves between adjacent squares. In preferred embodiments of the controlled use game apparatus of the present invention, plural grooves are provided with terminal extents beyond the field perimeter and there is further provided gate means for each of the groove extents. In general, each of the gate means comprises a turnstile adapted on rotation in a first direction to individually admit game pieces to the groove extent and a pawl pivoted intermediate its ends and spring biased into normally blocking counterrotation of the turnstile. In this embodiment the gate control means, which may comprise a hand operated plunger, may be drivingly connected to the assembly pawl in unblocking relation, and further include a series of pins selectively movable in fixed, spaced relation by operation of the plunger to shift the pawls around the pivots against the spring bias to unblock the turnstiles for counter-rotation and removal of taken pieces from storage in the grooved extents. In certain embodiments, the mentioned pawls comprise primary pawls and there is further provided secondary pawls paired with the primary pawls, spring inter-connected and in alternate pin engaged relation, to block rotation of the turnstiles during disengagement of the primary pawls therefrom. The apparatus may further include a slide carrying the mentioned series of pins and means may be provided connecting the slide to the plunger for responsive movement to plunger operation. This last mentioned means may comprise a cable and pulley arrangement connecting the slide and plunger for opposite movement on operation of the plunger, plunger operation being in some embodiments coin-responsive.

In a highly preferred form of the present apparatus, a coin operated chess game is provided comprising a board having an elevated playing field of alternating colored squares defined by a grid of plural intercommunicating longitudinal and transverse grooves, the playing squares having longitudinal slots extending between successive transverse grooves, a plurality of chess pieces loosely captured in the grooves for individual movement through the grooves, the chess pieces comprising a body portion shaped to represent a chessman and to be finger-grasped, a shank depending from the body portion through and below the groove and a head at the shank terminus incapable of being drawn through the groove by upward movement of the chessman, said transverse grooves having continued extents beyond one perimeter side portion of the playing field for storage of chessman taken in play. There is also a provided series of turnstiles at the intersection of the grooves and the perimeter side portion boundary in chessman entry and exit controlling relation to the grooves, a pawl and spring assembly acting on the turnstiles to normally blcok exit from the grooves while permitting entry thereinto, and a turnstile actuator comprising a coin-responsive plunger operatively connected to the pawl and spring assembly to unblock the turnstiles on insertion of a coin and operation of a plunger for return of taken pieces to the playing field and initiation of new game activity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be further described as to an illustrative embodiment, in connection with the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged plan view of the apparatus with portions broken away to show the underlying parts disposed as during game play;

FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 3 of the apparatus disposed for return of game pieces to the playing field;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in vertical section of the apparatus taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 3 and enlarged;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, generally sectional view taken along line 66 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a pictorial view of a chess pawn slotted at its upper terminus for insertion of a coin, disk or the like.

The present invention provides a controlled use game apparatus which is simple to manufacture, easy to use, durable, reliable, attractive in appearance, highly functional and impossible to use contrary to its purposes, e.g., without a payment for each game.

STRUCTURE The apparatus is basically a table 10 with four legs 12 which may be secured to the floor (not shown) and a box like top 14, which is, for example, 36 inches long and 21 inches wide and 2 inches deep, with a coinoperated mechanism 16 secured thereto at the lower right hand side, the upper surface 18 of the top 14 defines a playing field 20 approximately 18 inches square, a left hand portion 22 suited for ashtrays or drink glasses and a right hand portion 24 provided with storage lanes 26 in a manner and for a purpose to be described. The table 10 is suitably made of wood, metal or plastic and may approximate a restaurant table in dimensions and construction.

The playing field 20 as noted is about 18 inches on a side or somewhat oversize for a chess or checkerboard, and comprises alternately colored (shaded and unshaded in the drawing) squares 28 defining the usual array for playing chess or checkers.

The playing field squares 28 are separated from laterally adjacent squares by longitudinal grooves 30, and from longitudinally adjacent squares by horizontal grooves 32, the horizontal and longitudinal grooves thus forming an intercommunicating grid defining the squares. Additionally, each square 28 is provided with a slot 34 extending through the square from one horizontal groove 32 to the next horizontal groove, in an intercommunicating manner. The arrangement of grooves 30, 32, slots 34, and squares 28 as best shown in FIG. 5, is provided for by a series of rectangles 36 each somewhat less than one-half the width of each square, supported by individual pedestal 38, on plinth 40, which is fastened to the bottom wall 42 of the apparatus. The rectangles 36 are paired across a slot 34 to constitute each square 28.

The grooves 30, 32 and slots 34 are sized to permit easy passage of the game pieces 44 to different positions on the playing field 20. The game pieces 44, e.g., chessmen as shown are configured like the piece they represent in play above the playing field 20, having a width or diameter enabling their straddling the grooves 30, 32 and slots 34 as shown inFIG. 5. As also shown in FIG. 5, each piece has a depending shank 46 narrow enough to move easily in the grooves 30, 32 and slots 34 and long enough to extend, e.g., /2 inch, below the rectangles 36, between the pedestals 38. A washer or head 48 is provided at the shank lower terminus of a diameter to prevent pulling of the head upward through the grooves 30, 32 or slots 34. The game piece 44 is thus loosely captured in the groove 30, 32 or slot 34, to be liftable slightly from the playing field 20 like the conventional unfettered chessmen, but irremovable against loss or theft. Suitably, the chess or other game pieces 44 are relatively more fragile than their shanks 46, to break in preference to the shank when forced, to discourage pilferage. Additionally, it may be noted of the game pieces 44 that they are of common, easily recognized configuration, although larger than ordinary chessmen, to be attention-getting and proportional to the playing field 20, and not so wide as to block passage of another piece in adjacent groove 30, 32 or slot 34. In FIG. 7 a pawn 44 is depicted adapted for queening by insertion of a coin. disk or like insignia in the slot 50 at the upper terminus 52 of the pawn. Alternate methods of queening may be provided, such as a two-part pawn in which the parts are relatively separable, e.g., vertically, to give added dimension and a queenly character to the pawn.

PLAY

Before turning to the use control aspects of the invention, certain play considerations will be explained. In FIG. 1 a number of chessmen or pieces 44 are shown off to the right of the playing field 20 in area 24. These pieces are representative of pieces taken in play. These pieces are stored in storage lanes 26 until a new game is begun. It is in the successful control of return of taken pieces that the present invention finds one of its greatest advantages.

Initially, it will be observed that storage lanes 26 are continuations of horizontal grooves 32 and comprise terminal extents 54 of these in the side portion 24 of the apparatus beyond the perimeter 56 of the playing field. The storage lanes 26 may obviously be formed in the opposite or left side portion 22 of the apparatus or distributed between'the side portions 22 and 24. The storage lanes 26 are designed to be of the same or comparable width as the grooves 32 to freely accommodate piece 44 movement, and have sufficient extension to accommodate all the pieces as necessary.

In play, the chess (or other) pieces 44 are moved along the grooves 30, 32 to the appropriate square 28 and positioned in the center of that square using slot 34. A piece 44 taken in play is moved along the nearest horizontal groove 32 to the right hand margin of the apparatus for storage. Once so stored, return of the piece 44 to play is governed by the gate mechanism of the invention now to be described, with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6.

USE CONTROL As noted, storage lanes 26 are lateral continuations of horizontal grooves 32. At the intersection of each of the storage lanes 26 and the playing field boundary, perimeter 56, gate mechanisms Gl to G-7 comprising a ratchet wheel and pawl assembly are provided, each including a tumstile 58 journaled on post 60 and set so closely to the playing field as to prevent storage of a piece 44 between the playing field and the turnstile, primary pawl 62, and secondary pawl 72, all supported on stage 61. With reference particularly to FIG. 3, turnstile 58 which may be of various configurations having the nature of a ratchet wheel, is illustrated as a simple cruciform structure horizontally disposed and having radially projecting arms 74 at 90 around the hub 76 of the turnstile The turnstile arms 74 are relatively elongated to extend into and across the plane of the storage lane 26 adjacent the tumstile 58. Moreover, the arm 74 arrangement is such that all or part of one arm is always in the vertical plane of storage lane 26 in blocking relation to piece shanks 46 attempting passage through the lane.

Cooperating with turnstile 58 is the primary pawl 62 comprising a horizontally disposed rigid element 64 mounted on vertical pivot 78, having a leftward extent 66 notched at 68 and 70 and adapted to interengage an arm 74 of the tumstile 58 in a number of positional relations to limit rotational play of the turnstile, as shown, e.g., gates G2, G-3 and G-7, and a rightward extent 80 to which biasing spring 82 is secured to urge the leftward element extent 66 intoturnstile arm engagement. As arranged in FIG. 3, see particularly gates G-2 and G-3, the tumstile 58 may rotate counterclockwise to permit entry into the storage lane 26 of a piece 44 (only the shank and head being shown) between the arms 74 of the turnstile. As each arm 74 passes the leftward extent 66 of the primary pawl 62 the spring 82 urges this extent toward the turnstile hub 76. Reverse or clockwise rotation of the turnstile 58 is blocked however, as will be evident from the engagement of pawl 62 and arm 74, shown in gate G-7 and 0-2 for example. The

location of pawls 62, 72 beneath solid portions 73 of area 24 is such that these pawls cannot be operated by a knife or other ordinary instrument such as a chisel, by would be chiselers to permit outward passage. or exit, of pieces 44, and thus the control of games cannot be defeated. Oscillation inward of the pawl 62, however, is limited by stop 84 also supported by stage 61, see gate G-l, to prevent jamming of the gate.

A secondary pawl 72 is provided at each gate G-l to G-7, comprising an elongated, rigid member 86 journaled on pivot 88 and having a leftward extent 90 adapted to engage the turnstile 58 in certain positional relations, and a rightward extent 92 to which the spring 82 is fastened opposite the rightward extent 80 of primary pawl 62 whereby the oscillatory movement of the primary and secondary pawls 62, 72 is in tandem about their respective, offset pivots 78, 88. The operation of secondary pawl 72 is best shown in FIG. 4 where by use of an actuator in coin-mechanism 16 to be described, each of primary pawls 62 have been pivoted out of engagement with their turnstiles 58, allowing free clockwise rotation of the turnstile and coincident movement out of storage lanes 26 of pieces 44 between the turnstile arms 74. See gate G2. Counterclockwise turnstile 58 movement is blocked by secondary pawls 72. Stops 94 also supported by stage 61 are provided to limit movement of the secondary pawls 72, whereby the range of movement of the pairs of primary and secondary pawls 62, 72 respectively is limited by spring 82 and stops 84, and 94.

The disposition of primary and secondary pawls 62, 72 in FIG. 4, allows return of pieces to the playing field 20 and thus, control of this disposition regulates play in the apparatus and this control will now be described. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a slide 96 is disposed on the bottom 42 of the table top 14 adjacent the gates G-l to G-7. Guides 98 are provided on either side of slide 96. Slide 96 carries a series of upright pins 100 in fixed, spaced relation to each other and with respect to the rightward extents 80, 92 of the primary and secondary pawls 62, 72 which they are arranged to engage. Thus pins 100 are located to pivot secondary pawls 72 out of the path of turnstile arms 74 during game play, and to thereby, through spring 82 interconnection of the primary and secondary pawls, or post 102 substitutes at top and bottom of the playing field urge the primary pawl 62 into turnstile arm 74 engagement for piece 44 control purposes as explained above. In the event that piece 44 return to the playing field 20 is desired, the slide pins 100 are moved together on the slide 96 to simultaneously deflect all the primary pawls 62 out of turnstile arm 74 engagement, the spring 82 then acting to engage the secondary pawl 72 with the turnstile arms for piece 44 exit from lanes 26, as explained above.

Movement of the slide 96 and its pins as described can be realized with a variety of devices, but of particular advantage is the coin-operated plunger mechanism heretofore used in pin-ball machines and coin-operated pool tables. As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, such mechanism includes a plunger 104 which is pushed by hand through a sleeve 106 into the machine where a latch (not shown) prevents entry unless a coin is in the coin hole 108. Upon full insertion, the coin drops into coin box 1 10. The plunger carries a pin 112 which acts upon a shuttle 114 in guide 116 subject to traversal of a slot 118 in the shuttle sized to relate necessary plunger 104 movement to needed slide 96 movement. Cable 120 trained over rectangularly arranged pulleys 122 and connected to slide 96 and shuttle 114 by fasteners 124 moves the slide an equal and opposite distance on shuttle movement. Return spring 126 connected to the shuttle ensures return of the slide 90 to its normal positlOl'l.

INITIATION OF PLAY To play a game a coin is inserted in the plunger coin opening 108 and the plunger 104 pushed inward, actuating through shuttle 114 and cable 120 slide 96 to deflect with pins 100, primary pawls 62 from turnstile arms 74 engagement. The pieces 44 are moved from storage lanes 26 and arranged for play. Upon completion of a game, taken pieces 44 have been returned to storage lanes 26 and the process is repeated, with the investment of another coin and an additional increment of income and profit to the table proprietor.

I claim:

1. Controlled use game apparatus comprising a board for chess and checkers or the like having a playing field of alternating color squares and intercommunicating grooves therebetween, game pieces loosely captured in the grooves for movement between play positions, at least one of said grooves having a terminal extent beyond the field perimeter for storage of pieces taken in play, gate means normally blocking taken pieces return from said groove extent, said gate means comprising a turnstile adapted on rotation in a first direction to individually admit game pieces to said groove extent, and a pawl pivoted intermediate its ends and spring biased to normally block counterrotation of said turnstile, and gate control means acting on the gate means in unblocking relation to control board use.

2. Game apparatus according to claim 1 in which said gate control means includes a hand operated plunger drivingly connected to said assembly.

3. Game apparatus according to claim 1 in which said squares are peripherally defined by said grooves, and include a slot extending inwardly from one of said grooves for locating a game piece within the square.

4. Game apparatus according to claim 1 in which said game pieces are chess pieces, the pawns thereof being slotted at their upper terminus.

5. Game apparatus according to claim 1 in which said squares are pedestal mounted and arrayed to define the grooves between adjacent squares.

6. Game apparatus according to claim 1 in which plural grooves have terminal extents beyond the field perimeter, and including also gate means for each said groove extent.

7. Game apparatus according to claim 6 in which said gate control means also includes a series of pins selectively movable in fixed relation by operation of said plunger to shift said pawls around their pivots against the spring bias to unblock said turnstiles for removal of taken pieces from storage in the groove extents.

8. Game apparatus according to claim 7 in which said pawls are primary pawls, and including also secondary pawls paired with said primary pawls in spring interconnected and in alternate pin engaged relation to block rotation of the turnstiles during disengagement of the primary pawls therefrom.

9. Game apparatus according to claim 8 including also a slide carrying said pins, means connecting said slide to said plunger for responsive movement to plunger operation.

10. Game apparatus according to claim 9 including also a cable and pulley arrangement connecting said slide and plunger for opposite movement in operation of the plunger.

11. Game apparatus according to claim 10 in which the plunger operation is coin responsive.

12. Coin-operated chess game comprising a board having an elevated playing field of alternating color squares defined by a grid of plural intercommunicating longitudinal and transverse grooves, said squares hav ing longitudinal slots extending between successive transverse grooves, a plurality of chess men loosely captured in said grooves for individual movement through the grooves, said chess men comprising a body portion shaped to represent particular chess men and to be finger grasped, a shank depending from the body portion through and below the groove and a head at the shank terminus incapable of being drawn through the groove by upward movement of the chess piece, said transverse grooves having continued extents beyond one perimeter side portion of the playing field for storage of chessmen taken in play, a series of turnstiles at the intersection of said grooves and the boundary of the perimeter side portion in chessman entry and exit controlling relation to the grooves, a pawl and spring assembly acting on the turnstiles to normally block exit from the groove continued extents while permitting entry thereinto, and a turnstile actuator comprising a coin-responsive plunger operatively connected to the pawl and spring assembly to unblock said turnstiles on insertion of a coin and operation of the plunger for return of taken pieces to the playing field. 

1. Controlled use game apparatus comprising a board for chess and checkers or the like having a playing field of alternating color squares and intercommunicating grooves therebetween, game pieces loosely captured in the grooves for movement between play positions, at least one of said grooves having a terminal extent beyond the field perimeter for storage of pieces taken in play, gate means normally blocking taken pieces return from said groove extent, said gate means comprising a turnstile adapted on rotation in a first direction to individually admit game pieces to said groove extent, and a pawl pivoted intermediate its ends and spring biased to normally block counterrotation of said turnstile, and gate control means acting on the gate means in unblocking relation to control board use.
 2. Game apparatus according to claim 1 in which said gate control means includes a hand operated plunger drivingly connected to said assembly.
 3. Game apparatus according to claim 1 in which said squares are peripherally defined by said grooves, and include a slot extending inwardly from one of said grooves for locating a game piece within the square.
 4. Game apparatus according to claim 1 in which said game pieces are chess pieces, the pawns thereof being slotted at their upper terminus.
 5. Game apparatus according to claim 1 in which said squares are pedeStal mounted and arrayed to define the grooves between adjacent squares.
 6. Game apparatus according to claim 1 in which plural grooves have terminal extents beyond the field perimeter, and including also gate means for each said groove extent.
 7. Game apparatus according to claim 6 in which said gate control means also includes a series of pins selectively movable in fixed relation by operation of said plunger to shift said pawls around their pivots against the spring bias to unblock said turnstiles for removal of taken pieces from storage in the groove extents.
 8. Game apparatus according to claim 7 in which said pawls are primary pawls, and including also secondary pawls paired with said primary pawls in spring interconnected and in alternate pin engaged relation to block rotation of the turnstiles during disengagement of the primary pawls therefrom.
 9. Game apparatus according to claim 8 including also a slide carrying said pins, means connecting said slide to said plunger for responsive movement to plunger operation.
 10. Game apparatus according to claim 9 including also a cable and pulley arrangement connecting said slide and plunger for opposite movement in operation of the plunger.
 11. Game apparatus according to claim 10 in which the plunger operation is coin responsive.
 12. Coin-operated chess game comprising a board having an elevated playing field of alternating color squares defined by a grid of plural intercommunicating longitudinal and transverse grooves, said squares having longitudinal slots extending between successive transverse grooves, a plurality of chess men loosely captured in said grooves for individual movement through the grooves, said chess men comprising a body portion shaped to represent particular chess men and to be finger grasped, a shank depending from the body portion through and below the groove and a head at the shank terminus incapable of being drawn through the groove by upward movement of the chess piece, said transverse grooves having continued extents beyond one perimeter side portion of the playing field for storage of chessmen taken in play, a series of turnstiles at the intersection of said grooves and the boundary of the perimeter side portion in chessman entry and exit controlling relation to the grooves, a pawl and spring assembly acting on the turnstiles to normally block exit from the groove continued extents while permitting entry thereinto, and a turnstile actuator comprising a coin-responsive plunger operatively connected to the pawl and spring assembly to unblock said turnstiles on insertion of a coin and operation of the plunger for return of taken pieces to the playing field. 